rectified; and directly Captain Ben had turned about and was trotting
again toward the red house on the beach.

"Pound for pound of the best white sugar," he heard Miss Tame say as he
neared the door.

"White, sugar!" repeated Mrs. Davids, her usual sigh drawn out into a
little groan. "_White_ sugar for _cram_ berries! Who ever heard of such
a thing? I've always considered I did well when I had plenty of brown."

"Poor creeter!" thought Captain Ben. "How she will enjoy getting into my
pantry. Lyddy never complained that she didn't have enough of every
thing to do _with_"

And in the full ardor of his intended benevolence, he went right in and
opened the subject at once. But, to his astonishment, Mrs. Davids
refused him. She sighed, but she refused him.

"I've seen trouble enough a'ready, without my rushing into more with my
eyes wide open," sighed she.

"Trouble? Why, that is just what I was meaning to save you!" exclaimed
the bewildered widower. "Pump right in the house, and stove e'enamost
new. And Lyddy never knew what it was to want for a spoonful of sugar or
a pound of flour. And such a _handy_ buttery and sink! Lyddy used to say
she felt the worst about leaving her buttery of any thing."

"Should thought she would," answered Mrs. Davids, forgetting to sigh.
"However, I can't say that I feel any hankering after marrying a
buttery. I've got buttery-room enough here, without the trouble of